🗓️ Published on: May 23, 2025
What I Wish I Knew Before Automating My Content Workflow
A few weeks ago, I shared how I rebuilt my content system using Google Sheets + Make after switching from Airtable + Manus.
Spoiler: the new setup is powerful—but the journey?
Way messier than I expected.
If you’re just starting to automate your content, I want to help you avoid the slowdowns I ran into. Here’s what I wish someone told me before I got started.
1. You Don’t Need to Automate Everything at Once
I thought automation meant I had to build an entire machine from the start—every step mapped, triggered, and polished.
But the truth? The best systems grow step by step.
Start with one task (like auto-generating captions), test it, then expand. Your sanity will thank you.
2. Not All Tools Play Nice Together
Make.com, Google Sheets, Zapier, AI tools, Apify… they all claim to integrate easily. But every tool speaks its own language.
What seems simple at first can turn into hours of error tracking.
And sometimes, the problem isn’t you—it’s the API.
3. Visual Builders Still Require Logic
Drag-and-drop doesn’t mean set-it-and-forget-it.
Building in Make.com feels like flowchart magic—until you hit a point where one variable fails and everything stops.
You still need logic, filters, error handling… and patience.
4. Testing Takes Way More Time Than You Think
Running a scenario isn’t the same as real-life flow.
You’ll test it. Then re-test it. Then tweak, run again, fix an edge case, break something else, and come back to the start.
It’s normal. Just… expect it to take longer than your initial plan.
5. You Still Need a Manual Safety Net (For Now)
Even the best automation needs backup.
There are days it will break. Days you’ll override. Days you’ll go back to manual post scheduling because you’re human.
That doesn’t mean automation failed.
It means you’re building something smart enough to outgrow you—and that takes time.
Final Thoughts: You’re Not Doing It Wrong
If you’ve been frustrated by delays, tool quirks, or slow rollouts—you’re not alone.
Automation isn’t just about speed. It’s about building trust with your system—and that takes trial and error.
I’m still finalizing my full content automation engine (yes, the social posting part is coming soon!). But this post? It’s for the version of me who thought it’d be done in a weekend.
If that’s you right now:
Keep going. You’re closer than you think.
Want to See My First Automation Setup?
🔗 Check out how I started with Manus + Airtable →
